


Guardian of Lost Souls: King of Halloween

by MarphasChappers, NicholasFlamelFan



Series: Of Ideas and Collections (The Alchemy Lab) [29]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Child Abandonment, Dark One Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Dark Peter Pan | Malcolm, During Evil Queen | Regina Mills's First Dark Curse, F/M, Good Parent Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Kid Henry Mills (Once Upon a Time), M/M, Magic, Neverland (Once Upon a Time), Peter Pan | Malcolm Being an Asshole, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24536368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarphasChappers/pseuds/MarphasChappers, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicholasFlamelFan/pseuds/NicholasFlamelFan
Summary: A love ripped apart by life and magic. Just when they found each other, they are ripped apart again.This story follows the life of Jack, the son of the Dark One. How he overcame being abandoned, how he found love and lost it again. When he gets swept up by the Dark Curse, will things get better?
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Original Male Character(s), Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Grace | Paige & Mad Hatter | Jefferson, Grace | Paige & Original Male Character(s), Henry Mills (Once Upon a Time) & Original Character(s), Mad Hatter | Jefferson/Original Character(s), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold & Original Male Character(s)
Series: Of Ideas and Collections (The Alchemy Lab) [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1399345
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

“Milah, what have you done?” Killian breathed as Milah helped him stumble along to the ship where the Dark One was going to meet them for the magic bean they had taken from their prisoner “Where have you been?”

Milah shook her head “Don’t worry about it, my love… It won’t be a problem anymore.”

Killian froze, looking at Milah with wide eyes “What have you done? Where is he?”

“I left it in the forest,” she shrugged unconcernedly “Don’t worry. It was tainted.”

“He was a baby, Milah,” Killian exclaimed, unable to believe what she had done “You could have given him to his father… To another family to raise, not…”

Milah stopped, looking at the pirate with cold eyes “His father?” she demanded quietly “You want a baby to be raised by… him? You know why I left.”

Killian clenched his hand. He didn’t like the Dark One… He didn’t think he did right by Milah but to take it out on an innocent child was wrong. The baby had been born only days ago and now he was most likely fighting for his life. Alone and abandoned. He might be a pirate, but he had a code and lived by it. One part of this was that he would not judge children by the sins of their parents “It isn’t his fault,” he argued, letting out a pained groan when Milah bumped into his wound “He is a baby, a little baby who has no chance of surviving in the forest on his own.”

“You’re too soft, Killian,” Milah snorted, shaking her head “If you’re so insistent to get it back, then go for it. Just know that you will lose me in the process. I won’t stay anywhere near that abomination.”

“Whatever you say,” he surrendered, his mind going a mile a minute. He couldn’t leave the kid in the forest but he had no idea where Milah had left him… Maybe telling the Dark One about his son was the only chance he had to save the boy.

Milah helped Killian up the plank of the Jolly Roger, causing the crew to flit around them nervously “Milah, what happened?”

“Fetch some water,” she commanded, letting another of the crew members take some of Killian’s weight off her “And get me that prisoner from below deck along with the booty he carried. Now!”

Rumpelstiltskin appeared in the middle of the ship, clapping his hands in mock delight “Well, well, seems like you finally found the family you could never have with me.”

Just then, the crew member who had gone down to grab the prisoner and shoved the man up the stairs “Alright, get your sorry arse up there.”

Milah grabbed the satchel, pulling out the magic bean to show it to Rumple. When he reached for it, she tossed it to Killian who raised his eyebrow at the Dark One “You asked to see it and now you have.”

“Do we have a deal?” Milah asked, crossing her arms “Can we go our separate ways?”

Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head “Do you mean, do I forgive you? Can I move on? Perhaps.” He shrugged unconcernedly “I can see you are truly in love.”

“Thank you,” Milah sighed in relief. She was grateful that he didn’t listen to their conversation earlier since he would never forgive her for abandoning it. Baelfire was already a sore spot but he would never forgive her if he found out about… that.

“Just one question,” Rumpelstiltskin spoke up just before she reached Killian.

Milah groaned, turning around to face him again “What do you want to know?”

“How could you leave Bae? Do you know what it was like walking home that night…”

“Rumple…”

“… knowing I had to tell our son…”

“Please,” Milah begged, wishing he would just stop talking already.

Rumpelstiltskin continued, ignoring her pleading “… that his mother was dead?”

“I was wrong to lie to you,” Milah agreed reluctantly “I was the coward. I knew that.”

“You left him,” Rumpelstiltskin shouted angrily, gesturing with his hands “You abandoned him.”

Milah closed her eyes “And there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t feel sorry for that.”

“Sorry isn’t enough,” Rumpelstiltskin cried out, even angrier than before. He took a couple of deep breaths before continuing “You let him go.”

“I let my misery cloud my judgement,” she admitted.

“Why were you so miserable?”

Milah looked over at him, her eyes glinting coldly “Because I never loved you,” she told him before a smirk crossed her eyes “Nothing good ever comes from you. Not then and not now.”

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her for a moment before he punched into her chest to pull out her heart “What aren’t you telling me?” he mused, studying the heart.

“Milah,” Killian gasped, going to stop the Dark One when he was flung into the mast “No!” He freed himself, rushing over to catch Milah as she sunk to the ground.

“I love you,” she whispered, looking up at Killian with tears in her eyes. She let out a scream when Rumpelstiltskin started to crush her heart in his hand.

Killian looked up “Wait. Please…”

“Why would I do that?” Rumpelstiltskin asked curiously.

“You have a son,” Killian told him.

Rumpelstiltskin raised his eyebrows “I am well aware of that, pirate.”

“No,” Killian shook his head, ignoring Milah’s weak protests “You don’t understand. You have another. A baby.”

The grip on Milah’s heart slackened, causing her to slump in her pirate’s arms “What did you just say?” Rumpelstiltskin demanded, his voice cold and dangerous.

Killian closed his eyes for a moment, knowing he would lose his love either way. Not that he could blame the man… much. Yes, he loved her. He loved Milah so much but he wasn’t blind to her faults anymore. More than once had he told her that they should be going back for Baelfire. It wasn’t right that she simply abandoned her child the same way he had been abandoned by his father “I’m sorry, Milah,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead “I can’t let that child die.”

“No,” she shook her head, trying to sit up “No. Killian… Please.”

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Rumpelstiltskin questioned, his patience wearing thin.

Killian ran a hand through his hair “That night… Not a year ago when you asked Milah to come back… Something happened.”

Rumpelstiltskin stopped in his tracks “Impossible,” he whispered to himself “Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” Killian admitted “I swear that I would tell you. I don’t know.”

“Where is the boy?” Rumpelstiltskin asked, making sure to direct the question to the heart. He wanted the truth and he wanted it now. Preferably before he killed his once wife slowly and painfully.

Milah struggled to keep her mouth closed before the truth spilt from her lips “Gone,” she “I’m not going to keep an abomination like it.”

“Pardon?” Rumpelstiltskin blinked. Milah had always loved Baelfire, so it had been a surprise when she just up and left him but this? He didn’t even notice that his hand was clenched around her heart until it turned to ash in his grip.

“No,” Killian mumbled when Milah went limp in his arms. He looked up at the still shocked Dark One “You may be more powerful now but you didn’t have to kill her.”

Rumple whirled to face the pirate “You heard what she said,” he shouted “She left my son. Both of them. Do you really think I would forgive that?”

Killian got up from the floor “No,” he admitted “But I still have something you want.”

“Yes?” Rumpelstiltskin asked, slightly amused “Give me the bean, pirate and I will let you leave.”

“You’ll have to kill me first,” Killian ground out.

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head “Ah-ah. I’m afraid that’s not in the cards for you, sonny boy.” He twisted a sword in his hand, cutting off the pirate’s left hand with a quick motion “I want you alive because I want you to suffer as I did. To suffer knowing that she died because of what she did. To suffer knowing that you allowed her to leave an innocent infant to die.” He turns to walk away when he was ripped around, a hook driven into his chest. The Dark One looked down dispassionately “Killing me is going to take a lot more than that, dearie.”

Killian stared at him in defeat before he stumbled back “Just leave,” he demanded tiredly.


	2. Chapter 1

Jack was crouching in a tree, watching the girl below him with narrowed eyes. She had been standing there for ages, looking around anxiously as if waiting for someone. If he had to guess, he already knew who she was waiting for. Rumpelstiltskin, also known as the Dark One and exactly the person Jack had been looking for. While he didn’t want to make a deal, he simply wanted to talk to the older man. Maybe there were things he could teach the boy that he didn’t know yet. That and he heard such lovely tales everywhere he went of the feared Dark One. It simply wouldn’t do for him not to check out the competition.

Many people started fearing Jack for things that were out of his control. The Incident – as Jack had taken to call it – was something he didn’t like to talk about. It started way in his past and if he was honest, he would love to forget about it. So many people died by his hand that he lost count. None of them were innocent but that didn’t help the guilt when his name was being whispered in fear. People were trying to figure out who would be his next victim of choice.

He recognised the girl below him from stories he had picked up. Pitch Mary, the girl who had tried to show up her Golden stepsister and was punished for her laziness. He could guess what she wanted and was slightly impressed that she held out years of having bad luck and being seen as ‘dirty’ before she caved and went to find the Dark One. 

* * *

As soon as Rumpelstiltskin appeared, he could feel someone watching him. It only took him a moment to locate the boy in the tree. Who was he and why was he watching? The girl obviously didn’t know the boy was there, which made it even more suspicious. No matter. He would do his usual spiel and find out why he was being watched later.

“You called, dearie?” Rumpelstiltskin spoke up, making the girl jump in surprise. He had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her obliviousness. If he had been anyone else, she could be dead before she had the chance to scream.

Pitch Mary looked at the small man, trying to hide her disgust at his appearance “I need your help.”

“Of course, you do,” Rumple said with a patronising smile “They all do.”

“Can you help me?”

Rumple inclined his head “For a price.”

Pitch Mary dug in her pocket, pulling out a small purse of coins “This is all I have. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want your money,” Rumpelstiltskin waved her off, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Why couldn’t they understand that he didn’t need any money? Everyone always assumed he wanted money. After all these years, he had hoped that they would finally understand. Then again… He imagined that not many people were talking about the price of his deals.

“Then what do you want?” the girl asked with a frown “I don’t have anything else.”

Rumpelstiltskin quickly finished the deal. Revenge was an easy one and this girl was as stupid as she was ugly. No matter what he promised her, it would always come back to bite her. Once she was gone, he leaned back against one of the trees, reaching out with his senses to check whether the boy from before was still there “I know you’re here,” he called out in a sing-song voice “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

Jack raised his eyebrow at the dramatic man below him before swinging down from his perch to land in front of the Dark One gracefully.

“Who are you?” Rumpelstiltskin questioned, straightening up.

“My name is Jack,” Jack told him “I heard a lot about you.”

Rumple tilted his head “What do you want?”

“Want?” Jack asked in confusion “Nothing. I just wanted to meet the man who is as feared as you are.”

“Well, you met me,” Rumpelstiltskin dismissed him. He had no idea who the boy was and if he was honest with himself, he didn’t really care either.

Jack took a step forward when the Dark One turned to leave “Wait.”

Rumple crossed his arms “Yes?”

“You like to make deals, right?” Jack asked, biting his lip. For some reason, he felt a connection to the man. It was like his magic was trying to tug him closer. At first, he had tried to ignore it but the longer he was around the Dark One, the stronger the tugging got “I know some people who would give you everything you could ask for in return for you solving their problem. They don’t trust me, though.”

“You deal as well?” Rumpelstiltskin asked in surprise “Who are you?”

Jack scratched the back of his head “I – People have taken to call me Mokoi.”

“The Child Snatcher,” the Dark One whispered to himself “I heard a lot about you.” He studied the boy who could be no older than fifteen himself. From what he heard, Mokoi was a powerful sorcerer that not only punished those who took things too far but he was also famous for his skills with creating portals. His sources said that the boy had managed to created portals to other worlds without the help of a magic bean or any other magical object “You’re younger than I thought you’d be. Just a child yourself.”

“I’m not a child,” Jack snapped angrily “I haven’t been since those slavers found me in the woods when I was but a babe.”

Rumple nodded and raised his hands placatingly “Of course, of course. I have a proposition for you.”

“And what would that be?” Jack asked suspiciously. Why was it that all of a sudden he was interesting enough to talk to? Before he told the Dark One his name, he couldn’t have waited to get away from him. Now, it seemed like the man was actually trying to get him to stay and talk longer.

“Come with me. You’re still young and I imagine that while you seem to know your magic well, there’s always room for improvement,” Rumpelstiltskin proposed.

“You want to… teach me?” Jack clarified.

Rumple shook his head “I propose a partnership. Your magic is strong and I think that we could help each other.”

“What do you mean?” Jack wanted to know.

“I heard that you could create portals,” Rumpelstiltskin hummed barely keeping the hope from his voice. Maybe this way, he could at least save one of his sons. He could bring back his oldest – Baelfire from wherever he had landed “I lost something very dear to me.”

Jack studied the man in front of him closely “I can, yeah.” He held out his hand “I’ll stay for as long as I wish and you will let me leave if I want to.”

“Deal,” Rumpelstiltskin nodded, shaking Mokoi – Jack’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. This is going to be part of my early Christmas present to you guys. I did my best to write for as many Fics as possible for Christmas but the rest didn't work yet. For the Fics that haven't been updated in this wave, I'll try to get an update out till March (I have exams in February, so I should be able to get stuff done until March).
> 
> For those interested, feel free to join my Facebook Group (NicholasFlamel's Corner) where I post snippets of chapters I write, ideas I have and finished/abandoned Fics. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/687956758591756


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